PROLOUGUE:

1 Colony L5, XX519

A sinister breath of cold air gusted through the small city alley like the shadow of death itself. The foggy air continued its journey to a bar located in the colony slums. The bar was anything but clean, and the door was just as quiet as the air blew in behind a man standing at its open door. The stranger let the door bang shut as his trenchcoat fluttered around his ankles. Another, greasier man entered the bar from the door leading to the living area in the back, letting the first man grab a glimpse of the dingy background and empty clutter in the room beyond.

"Hello" the filthy owner smiled, his voice raspy and harsh from the toils of poverty and hardship. "come to do me some buisness?"

"Hm." the dark stranger replied indifferently. "If we are, we need to talk in a place more.private." The man hinted, tilting his head towards the silver briefcase in his left hand.

"O-of course, we do!" the fleshy ball of oil jiggled as he laughed nervously. It was a strange, hollow, grating sound. It was an unnerving sound to hear. "Then let us go to the back, yes?" the manager sniveled.

Hmph. victor thouhgt He is like a rat. A fat, greasy, oily, grubby, overstuffed rat!! Well, Well, my little rodent, where do you hide the cheese?

"Here we go, Mr. Victor." The manager snapped him out of his thouhgts and humbly led him to a sparsely furnished room and sat him on a crate that served as a chair. The rest of the room consisted of two other "chairs", an extra storage crate, a mattress with two cotton blankets and some rumpled up newspaper for a pillow, and a crudely carved shelf. The stranger didn't bother examining any closer. He already knew what else was in the room, and in the room on the left hand door. Hmm, good work, victor old boy. You found the cheese Victor smirked evilly and turned his attentions back to the manager. "Stealing, is she?"

The manager trembled at his words, and nodded his head before finally gaining the courage to point to the briefcase.

"How much?"

The stranger could see now that the man was trembling for want, not fear. Good, maybe he'll give me some trouble and grovel for it.I need some fun

Just then, a little girl about two years old, with messy black hair and hazel eyes walked into the room wearing only a tattered, cotton, sleeveless dress. Her hair and body were in no better shape than her dress, but the layers of oil and grime did nothing to hide the joy and childish pride in her face and the way she held her body. Her eyes glistened and she thrust out her hands toward her father. The manager opened up her cupped hands and rifled through its possessions. "Good job, Shini." The manager crowed proudly as he stowed the crumpled up $50 , a penny, and a 14kt gold garnet ring, with a ruby as big as a rock. He discarded the actual rock and a rubber band and some paper that were of no use to him.

"Down to buisness, then." Victor snapped, interrupting their intimate father-daughter moment, but he spoke on ruthlessly indifferent to their emotions. "I will give you this," Victor smirked as he opened the case and turned it toward the grubby eyes of the bar manager. "and a lifetime of protection an wealth.for your daughter."

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Victor."

"Excuse me?" Victor spluttered through his increasing rage. How could this have happened? He had thought that the ratball of a father would give anything away for what Victor could give him. Fine then, I'll just wait him out, he'll never be able to stay away forever..

"No," the manager straightened up to his scant full height and pulled his bewildered daughter behind him. "Shiin-chan stays here, with me. I wont give up anything that easily, Victor. No matter what you think."

Victor chuckled evilly, and watched the manager shiver as it rose to an evil creschendo. "You feel that way now, but you won't when I next see you again." He chuckled low and sinister in his throat as he stalked to the door. The father and the daughter shivered again as they heard their door bang shut and felt a grip of icy cold air swirled around them. Like the grip of death itself. thought the manager, right before he heard a muffled curse and a gunshot, then he ran...



AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I hope that you like it so far, it will be focused on the main character (Shini) until about the third chapter. I hope you still like it, and check out my account at Fanfiction.net (author's name Eiko Mizuno) and I hope you review!! ( you can also email me at eikomizuno01@gundamwing.net, or I.M.me at eikomizuno01 (aol)!!

THANX, and i hope you like it ^-^!!